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Classic Wines Auction raises $3.2 million

By Andy Perdue on April 29, 2015

The Classic Wines Auction took place in Portland, Oregon.

The Classic Wines Auction took place last month in Portland. It raised nearly $3.2 million. (Photo courtesy of Classic Wines Auction)

PORTLAND – Last month’s Classic Wine Auction raised nearly $3.2 million for regional charities.

The Classic Wines Auction drew 875 patrons to the March 7 event at the Oregon Convention Center and benefited five charities:

“With support from our incredible sponsors, donors, charity partners, winemakers and volunteers, we are able to significantly impact the lives of over 82,000 children and families in our community who are in need,” said Heather Martin, executive director of the Classic Wines Auction.

Classic Wines Auction among nation’s biggest

The Classic Wines Auction in Portland is one of the nation's largest charity wine auctions.

The Classic Wines Auction in Portland is one of the top 10 charity wine auctions in the country, according to Wine Spectator.

Wine Spectator magazine reports that the Classic Wines Auction is among the top 10 charity wine auctions in the United States, finding itself among similar events in Napa Valley and Sonoma County.

“We are delighted to be recognized by Wine Spectator as one of the top 10 charity wine auctions in the country,” Martin said. “It’s a tribute to the generosity of our supporters and the importance of our fundraising efforts.”

The two big items of the event were BMW i8 hybrid sports cars. Two Portland bidders each paid $160,000 for the luxury plug-in cars. The cars were donated by Kuni Automotive and Kuni BMW.

Other items included a luxury trip to Tuscany, wine tasting tours in France and Germany as well as trips to Pebble Beach in California, Whitefish in Montana, a skiing trip in the Canadian Rockies, and a trip to the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay near Tacoma.

This year, the Classic Wines Auction’s honorary wine ambassadors were:

Chris Mazepink, winemaker and general manager for Archery Summit Winery in Dayton, Ore.
Drew Bledsoe, owner of Doubleback in Walla Walla, Wash.
Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, co-owner and manager of Sassicaia in Bolgheri, Tuscany.
Tony LeBlanc, general manager for Silver Oak Cellars in Oakville, Calif.

The auction co-chairs were:

Greg Goodwin, CEO of Kuni Automotive
Peggy Maguire, president of Cambia Health Solutions
DJ Wilson, president and general manager of KGW Media Group Portland

The inaugural auction in 1982 raised more than $9,000. Since then, it has raised more than $36 million to help nonprofits.

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About Andy Perdue

Andy Perdue is the editor and publisher of Great Northwest Wine. He is a third-generation journalist who has worked at newspapers since the mid-1980s and has been writing about wine since 1998. He co-founded Wine Press Northwest magazine with Eric Degerman and served as its editor-in-chief for 15 years. He is a frequent judge at international wine competitions. He is the author of "The Northwest Wine Guide: A Buyer's Handbook" (Sasquatch, 2003) and has contributed to four other books. He writes about wine for The Seattle Times. You can find him on Twitter and Google+.